COP31 opens in Turkey with climate finance disputes and UN urgency call

The COP31 climate summit opened Monday in Antalya, Turkey, with immediate disagreements over climate finance and a UN call for seriousness following a year of devastating weather events. The summit runs until November 20. UN officials warned that climate indicators are "out of the ordinary," with warming nearing the 1.5°C Paris limit. Developing countries secured a debate on climate financing, but a proposal to triple adaptation funding was excluded, despite UN estimates of a $305 billion annual need. The summit, hosting nearly 200 countries, will focus on implementing past commitments. Turkey will promote voluntary pledges, including increasing electricity's share of global energy consumption to 35% by 2035, a plan that may face friction between renewable advocates and fossil fuel producers.